Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole Recipe with Homemade Sauce - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

March 13, 2020September 10, 2023

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Our version of homemade Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole (with egg noodles) is without canned soup, sour cream and cream. Instead, the cheesy sauce is made from milk, chicken broth and shredded Parmesan. This Chicken Tetrazzini with homemade sauce is just like Grandma might make back in her day.

Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole Recipe

Have you ever tried a tetrazzini casserole with chicken, shrimp or turkey?It’s consists of a cheesy, creamy sauce that is full of some type of meat or seafood and also mushrooms or peas. Why is it called tetrazzini? Supposedly, this dish was created by an Italian opera star whose last name was Tetrazzini.

I just so happened to have a big container of leftover poached, shredded chicken in the fridge when I stumbled upon this easy chicken tetrazzini recipe in a collection of recipes from the Waynesburg Church.

As I was scrolling through the rest of the ingredients, I was pleased to find that I had everything that this chicken tetrazzini casserole called for on hand.

Ingredient List for Chicken Tetrazzini with Homemade Sauce

• Wide Egg Noodles
• Butter
• Diced Pepper (optional)
• All Purpose Flour
• Chicken Broth
• Milk
• Canned Mushrooms (optional)
• Parmesan Cheese, shredded
• Chicken, cooked and shredded (rotisserie chicken works great)
• Butter Crackers, crushed

Chicken Tetrazzini with Egg Noodles

Many chicken tetrazzini recipes use spaghetti noodles; however, our version uses those cheap wide egg noodles. My kids eat these really well.

I love that this version can be called chicken tetrazzini without soup, chicken tetrazzini without canned soup, chicken tetrazzini without sour cream, chicken tetrazzini without heavy cream. It checks all those boxes. In my mind, I picture Grandma making this exact old fashioned chicken tetrazzini recipe with homemade sauce.

How to Make Cheesy Chicken Tetrazzini

Step by Step Instructions

1. Sauté diced peppers in butter; add flour and stir. If you are omitting peppers, melt butter, and whisk in flour instead.
2. Slowly add milk and chicken broth while stirring constantly until the sauce thickens slightly.
3. Add cheese, mushrooms (omit, if desired) and chicken and stir until the cheese melts.
4. Stir in cooked noodles until combined.
5. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9 inch baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
6. Sprinkle with crushed butter crackers.
7. Bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 10-20 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.
8. Let sit 10 minutes to set up before serving.

Storage Instructions

Let leftovers cool completely. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week.

For the full instructions and ingredient amounts for easy chicken tetrazzini without canned soup, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Recipe FAQs

• Our recipes calls for wide egg noodles. Substitute cooked spaghetti or linguine if desired.
• Par-boil the noodles (don’t cook completely) because they will finish cooking in the oven.
• Want to make a whole chicken in the slow cooker so you have homemade chicken on hand? Try this recipe.
• Red, yellow or green peppers can be used, or leave them out if desired.
• Mushrooms are optional or use fresh mushrooms sautéed in butter.
• Add green peas for some added nutrients. Use frozen, and add with the chicken, mushrooms and cheese.
• Substitute crushed crackers with bread crumbs or crushed potato chips.
• Make this ahead and freeze.Just be sure to leave off the crushed butter crackers before freezing. Add them right before cooking.
• This casserole reminds me of my Mom’s Tuna Noodle Casserole. Try it!

Our Family Favorite Casserole Recipes

Looking for some more family-favorite casseroles? Try some of our favorites:

Ground Beef Shepherd’s Pie

Easy Reuben Casserole

Grandma’s Chicken Rice Casserole

Chicken and Spanish Rice

Crock Pot French Onion Pork Chops and Rice

Chicken Noodle Casserole

Frisco Melt Tater Tot Casserole

Can you make chicken tetrazzini a day ahead?

Yes, prepare the tetrazzini the day before, cover tightly and store in the refrigerator. Bake according to recipe instructions, allowing extra time if needed to cook it from cold.

What does chicken tetrazzini taste like?

Chicken tetrazzini has a creamy texture and a has a flavor almost like that of an alfredo sauce.